The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences launched a casting call for social media experts to host the live-streamed preshow several weeks ago, searching for "millennials between the ages of 18–35, all ethnicities, who have a strong entertainment news background and/or very strong social media following (300,000 followers minimum)".

TVLine said that Furlan "literally came on to, and hard, every male in attendance, to a degree that makes E!'s Giuliana Rancic look positively demure."

Meanwhile, Harlow called The Bold and the Beautiful's Lawrence Saint-Victor "a beautiful chocolate man" before asking, "What's it like to be a black man on a soap opera these days?"

Furlan also told General Hospital actor Ryan Paevey, "We're going to get you away from us before we rape you."

Viewers took to Twitter to complain about the four hosts' presenting abilities, with some labeling them amateur and at times offensive.

If a male red carpet host told a hot female he wanted to rape her, he'd never work a day in his life again. #JustSayin#DaytimeEmmys